Arizona to host 4-star center Kamsi Awaka for official visit
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The Arizona Wildcats enjoyed the Tobe Awaka experience so much, they figured why not run it back with another member of the family?
Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats have been all over Kamsi Awaka, Tobe's younger brother and a 4-star center in the 2027 recruiting class. That attention appears to be paying off, as Awaka is now set to take an official visit to Tucson Sep. 25-26, where he will attend Arizona's Red-Blue showcase alongside 5-star guard Adan Diggs and 5-star center Darius Wabbington.
Awaka told Joe Tipton of On3 he has scheduled visits to Michigan State, Michigan, and Arizona, three of the schools he listed in his top five - with UConn and Florida being the others.
After completing official visits to UConn and Florida, 4⭐️ Kamsi Awaka has scheduled official visits to Michigan State, Michigan, and Arizona, he told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) September 16, 2026
The 6-10 center is the No. 31 overall prospect in the 2027 class, per Rivals.
Visits dates: https://t.co/SEDUGLnfgv https://t.co/dICNgw1ceA pic.twitter.com/579mqrTfVq
Who is Kamsi Awaka?
Awaka is rugged big man standing 6'10 who currently plays at Blair Academy in New Jersey. A 4-star in the 2027 class, Awaka is ranked No. 41 overall at 247Sports and No. 59 at ESPN, but did come in at No. 31 in the Rivals rankings updated last week.
The 6'10 big man boasts a 7'4 wingspan and, like his brother, has a high motor with extreme physicality and upper body strength - which makes him a menace down on the block.
Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports projects Awaka as a day one contributor on the glass and as a screener, and praises his timing as a shot blocker and ability to move in space defensively.
Awaka averaged 15 points on 57% shooting on the Adidas 3SSB summer circuit, along with a whopping 3.9 offensive rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. He's not much of a scorer and doesn't need paint touches, but could stand to improve his free throw percentage (57% on six attempts) at the next level.
Arizona's future trio?
Arizona intended on having three elite high school recruits in Tucson for the Red-Blue scrimmage later this month - but it's not quite the trio Lloyd and his staff had in mind.
The original plan was to have Diggs, Wabbington, and 5-star guard NaVorro Bowman Jr on campus, but Bowman committed to Dan Hurley and UConn after taking an official visit last weekend - clearing the way for Awaka to take his place.
Diggs is the big prize, a 5-star combo guard who ranks No. 6 in the 2027 class, while Wabbington is a mobile big man from Phoenix who has been on Arizona's radar for well over a year now.
Awaka is not quite as heralded as either of them, but Lloyd clearly knows how to maximize a physical, low touch big man - and the familial connection will absolutely help in this recruitment for the Wildcats.
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Andy Patton is a college basketball writer with deep ties to both Gonzaga and Arizona. A Gonzaga alumnus who graduated in 2013, he has hosted the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021 and has co-hosted the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. His years covering the Bulldogs have also given him extensive familiarity with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent more than two decades on Mark Few’s staff at Gonzaga before taking over the Wildcats in 2021. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.
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